Wednesday, March 18, 2026
🌧️ Today: 31°C, 65% chance of rain. Keep that umbrella in your bag.
Good morning, Bengaluru.
Ugadi is two days away, IPL fever is building, and a beloved city institution just said goodbye.
Grab your kaapi. Let's get into it.
📅 Plan Your Week
Thu, March 19 — Ugadi (Kannada New Year). State holiday. Offices & schools closed.
Fri, March 21 — Ramzan. Fraser Town will be buzzing with iftar specials.
Sat, March 28 — IPL Season Opener. RCB vs SRH at Chinnaswamy, 7:30 PM.
Chinnaswamy Gets the Green Light. RCB Opens IPL 2026 at Home
It's official. The Karnataka government has cleared the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium to host IPL matches this season.
Defending champions RCB face Sunrisers Hyderabad in the season opener on March 28, 7:30 PM. This is RCB's first competitive match at Chinnaswamy since 2023.
After last year's title celebrations turned tragic with 11 lives lost in a stampede, there were real doubts about cricket returning here. KSCA President Venkatesh Prasad oversaw safety upgrades, and an expert committee gave the final clearance after a full inspection.
RCB will host 5 of their 7 home matches at Chinnaswamy this season. Two shift to Raipur.
Ugadi is Tomorrow. The City's Food Scene is Ready. 🌸 🍃 🪔
Ellarigu ugadi habbada hardika shubhashayagalu ✨
The Kannada New Year falls on March 19. Restaurants across the city are rolling out festive menus: Obbattu, Ugadi Pachadi, fusion brunches. Not cooking at home? Book the Ugadi Utsav Brunch on BookMyShow.
Hard Rock Cafe shuts all 3 Bengaluru outlets. End of an era.
Hard Rock International has terminated its franchise agreement with JSM Corporation, closing all 10 outlets across India. Bengaluru loses three: the St. Mark's Road original (open since 2007), Whitefield, and the airport.
The St. Mark's Road cafe hosted local legends like Thermal And A Quarter and Girish And The Chronicles for nearly two decades. For a generation of Bengaluru millennials, it was the go-to for live music, birthday dinners, and overpriced burgers that somehow always felt worth it.
Hard Rock says it may explore new partnerships in India later. The Hard Rock Hotel in Goa stays open. The city's food scene has moved on. But nostalgia doesn't care about replacements. [Read more →]
BLR Airport launches "Connections by BLR"
New transfer service for connecting passengers. Complimentary support across both terminals, 100+ destinations covered. If you've ever sprinted between T1 and T2 with a prayer and a boarding pass, this one's for you.
Events This Week
Bangalore University Science Festival 2026
🔬 Free Entry | March 17-18 · Jnana Bharathi Campus
Theme: "Women in Science." Competitions, quizzes, and free public tours of the Botany, Zoology, and Geology museums. Rare biological specimens. Biodiversity collections. Walk-in, no tickets needed. One of the most genuinely interesting things happening in the city this week. [Read more →]
The Pranit More Show
🎤 March 29 · Whitefield | MLR Convention Centre
Marathi standup comedian on his India tour. Crowdwork, school-time nostalgia, observational humor. Solid Saturday night out. Book on BookMyShow →
Got a Hard Rock memory from St. Mark's Road? Hit reply. We'd love to hear it.
❤️☕With Team Morning Kaapi
